love you a latte
by splendidlyimperfect
Summary: Rogue's having a bad Monday. Natsu cheers him up. / **Part of 'i'm with them' series, see profile for links** / check out our tumblr at gratsustingue-the-ot4 / English translation of "un bonjour, un bisou, et un café"


Rogue was exhausted.

Monday mornings were always terrible. Customers were rude, there was never enough coffee, and every time Rogue looked at the clock it seemed like only five minutes had passed.

By noon, he was ready to kill someone.

"If one more person asks me for skim milk _and _whip cream," he grumbled, "I'm gonna throw their coffee in their face."

Minerva, who was wiping tables in the front of the café, turned to him and raised her eyebrow.

"What's going on with you today?" she asked. "You're moodier than usual."

"Thanks," Rogue muttered. "Sorry. I dunno. Just… feeling off, I guess?"

He sighed, rubbing his face and staring out the window. It was fall, and the wind was carrying leaves across the sidewalk in little flurries of orange and yellow and red. The sky was a dull gray, and it made Rogue want to go back home and curl up under the blankets in bed.

The bell at the front of the door dinged, and Rogue felt a smile tugging at his lips as he saw Natsu's bright pink hair.

"Hey, babe!" Natsu said brightly as he made his way to the counter. He was chewing on a sucker and he popped it out of his mouth as he leaned over and kissed Rogue's cheek. "How's work?"

"What are you doing here?" Rogue asked, raising his eyebrows at Natsu. "Don't you have a job?"

Natsu laughed. "I need coffee," he said.

"We have a coffee machine at home," Rogue replied helpfully.

"Mm, but there's a cute barista here," Natsu said, leaning against the counter. Rogue's cheeks flushed pink and Natsu grinned. "Plus, you smile a lot when I visit you at work."

"Oh," Rogue said softly, rubbing at a coffee stain on the counter. A warm, happy feeling spread through his chest and he gave Natsu a soft smile.

"You two are disgustingly cute," Minerva said as she popped back behind the counter. "The usual?" she asked Natsu.

"You're the best," he said, saluting her with his sucker. He put it back in his mouth and crunched it between his teeth, then pulled another one out of his pocket and tucked it into the tip jar. "For my favorite barista," he said.

"Did you steal that from the daycare?" Rogue asked, raising his eyebrows. Natsu pretended to look offended.

"Too much sugar is bad for the kids," he insisted, grinning. "I'm really doing them a favor."

Rogue rolled his eyes, reaching out and grabbing the sucker from the jar.

"Go for a break," Minerva said, gesturing to the empty café as she handed Natsu his coffee. "Take half an hour, it's dead here anyway."

Rogue smiled gratefully at Minerva as he pulled off his apron and hung it up before coming around the counter and grabbing Natsu's hand. Natsu kissed his cheek and gestured to the door.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked.

The wind was chilly and it kicked up leaves around their feet as they walked. Natsu talked about work, about his lunch date with Erza tomorrow, about how Happy had escaped and ended up in Beatrice's apartment again this morning.

By the time they'd gone around the block, the frustrated feeling in Rogue's chest was gone, replaced by a warm sense of contentment.

"I love you," he said quietly, pulling Natsu toward him and leaning against the wall just down from the café. Natsu gave him a surprised look, then smiled and kissed his nose.

"Is it 'cause I'm so handsome?" he teased. Rogue rolled his eyes.

"That doesn't hurt," he admitted, resting his head on Natsu's shoulder. "I feel special when you visit me."

"You _are_ special," Natsu replied, pressing a kiss to the top of Rogue's head. "I love surprising you at work – you always look so happy."

"Wanna watch that photography documentary tonight?" Natsu asked. "Gray's got that meeting tonight and Sting's going out with Yukino. It's just you and me."

"You hate documentaries," Rogue said, leaning back and frowning.

"But you don't," Natsu replied. "And I can tolerate them if I get cuddles." Rogue laughed. "And if you let me braid your hair."

"I think I can handle that," Rogue replied.

When Rogue was back behind the counter with his apron on, Natsu leaned in and gave him one last kiss before whispering, "I love you," then turning and heading out the door.

"I love you, too," Rogue said softly as he watched Natsu's retreating back.

Maybe Mondays weren't so bad after all.


End file.
